Three Teens Shot in South Side Park

Police said they had no details as to what may have sparked the attack

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A pair of Air Jordans sit behind the police tape at the scene of Tuesday night's shooting.

Three teenagers were shot while playing basketball in a South Deering neighborhood park Tuesday night.

Paramedics took all three teens to area hospitals in serious-to-critical condition after they were shot about 9 p.m. in Merrill Playground Park, on the 2100 block of East 97th Street, a fire department spokesperson said.

Haywood Richmond, a former track coach and security guard at South Shore High School, told the Chicago Sun-Times he was inside his home watching the Chicago Blackhawks game when he heard eight gunshots.

His nephew was unhurt, but three people -- two boys and a girl -- were injured.

A 15-year-old and a 17-year-old both suffered a gunshot wound to the leg, and were taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center, authorities said. A 16-year-old boy was shot in both legs and taken to University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital.

By late Tuesday night, police said the conditions of the two teens taken to Christ Hospital had stabilized.

A pair of black Air Jordan sneakers was lying on the concrete court behind police tape Tuesday night. Police also marked where several shell casings fell on the street, just beyond the fence surrounding the park.

Gunfire is commonplace in the neighborhood, Richmond said.

Police said they had no details as to what may have sparked the attack.